Choosing a School: The Global Picture

As you visit college campuses this spring, don’t forget to consider opportunities you’ll have around the world. Today’s New York Times featured an article on the rush by universities to set up branch campuses abroad, especially in Asia and the Middle East. This new practice has the promise of providing more extensive cultural exchange than traditional study abroad programs. Also, because the overseas campus is governed and accredited by an American university, admission, registration, and credit transfer should all be seamless.

Students who study at an overseas campus will clearly gain invaluable experiences for navigating today’s globalized marketplace. However, the ease and comfort of never leaving your alma mater can have a down side. If your classes overseas are taught by American faculty in English, you may not experience the type of complete cultural immersion that makes study abroad so challenging and rewarding.

photo by forte / Flickr